Safe and Sound

Eden pushed her overgrown blonde hair from her shoulder and continued to walk quickly down the crowded New York sidewalk. A man who looked to be in his early thirties kept a hand on the small of her back, pushing her along. They continued to walk until they reached a high-end apartment building. The inside had been remodeled to resemble a house that was thirteen stories tall and decorated to perfection.

A young man in his twenties rounded the corner with his lips pressed in a thin line. “I don’t like runners, Benjamin. And I don’t like seers.”

With a snap of his fingers, Eden and the other man were being detained. A man grabbed her from behind and roughly moved her head so her throat was exposed.

“Ben!” She called out in complete distress, knowing what could be inflicted on her.

“Please, Arthur, please,” Ben begged, “do whatever you want to me. Do not touch her.”

The young man, Arthur, breathed out a sigh and shook his head. “I don’t think you realize the terrible mistake you have made, Benjamin.”

Arthur walked over to Eden and lightly tapped her forehead. “If only I could keep you,” he whispered before she felt a sharp burning in her neck and let out a terrified scream.

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Eden’s blue eyes snapped open and she took a deep breath. Looking around the room, she let her tense body relax into the bed.

“It was all a dream,” she whispered to herself.

The young blonde has been having the same dream over and over, but one man always manages to capture her attention.

Ben.

She’s positive that she’s never met him, but she has a feeling she will.

Her dreams have a bad habit of, unfortunately, coming true. Her friends at the orphanage would tease her and call her a psychic, but it terrified her. There were plenty of things she dreamed that she didn’t want to happen.

Eden sat up, deciding to get ready for her boring job at a bookstore. She did her normal routine and applied her light makeup. Pulling her hair into an easy bun, she put a light floral dress on that would feel amazing in the warm New York City summer and her light beige flats. She picked up her bag and keys, walking out of her small apartment and locking the door. She rode the elevator down and began her quick walk to Magnus Bookstore. Unlocking the glass door with the key John gave her, and flipping the closed sign over, she positioned herself at the counter and bar chair. Eden pulled out her copy of Wuthering Heights and began reading the well used book.

Wuthering Heights is Eden’s favorite book and the paperback cover shows the amount of use it has had. The edges have faded and folded, deep wrinkles are apparent, and there is duct tape wrapped around the spine of the book.

The twenty-three year old blonde read her book and served customers for three hours before the store became empty. The wind chimes hanging above the door jingled, signalling that someone has entered. Eden looked up to greet the customer, but lost her breath when she saw him.

The man from her dreams.

Ben.